Lake Norman State Park-new trail

The Wildlife loop opened today at LNSP in Troutman NC bringing the total singletrack mileage to 30.5 miles. The trails are great Piedmont NC riding offering trails for all skill levels and the scenery is pretty fantastic too!

(not trying to be an a$$....just saw a ton cutesy stuff done and thought the trail was really, really overthought)

Nice 1 post in and we have a negativity winner! LNSP is great Piedmont NC riding. For the folks in the Charlotte area its a great local trail. You dont like it, well you have plenty of options elsewhere.

We camped at Lake Norman a few weeks ago, and we really enjoyed the riding. The trails make excellent use of the available acreage and terrain features, and were very well maintained. I am glad to hear there are even more miles to ride!

We have guests from MI in town for Thanksgiving, and we are thinking about adding Lake Norman to our ride schedule, so we don't have to kill them with climbs they are not accustom to riding... plus I am craving Cowfish...

Nice 1 post in and we have a negativity winner! LNSP is great Piedmont NC riding. For the folks in the Charlotte area its a great local trail. You dont like it, well you have plenty of options elsewhere.

oh yeah, i forgot, freedom of speech and opinion doesn't apply to posts about LKN.

Nice 1 post in and we have a negativity winner! LNSP is great Piedmont NC riding. For the folks in the Charlotte area its a great local trail. You dont like it, well you have plenty of options elsewhere.

The world is full of negativity. It is better to just ignore it and keep doing what you are doing.

Originally Posted by gsomtb

oh yeah, i forgot, freedom of speech and opinion doesn't apply to posts about LKN.

I beg for forgiveness.........

I suppose freedom of speech and opinion also doesn't apply when it comes to responses about your post.

I am sure robtre will be begging your forgiveness soon.

It is bad that we have to waste our time putting down people who are trying bring more to the sport. My question is before you spew negativity, what have you done for it?
I am going to guess not much if you are putting down the efforts of those who are.

What does that even mean? I haven't been out there and looking to do a day off day trip during the week in December to check out the trails.

Cutesy means the back and forth on the fire road that really doesn't accomplish anything.
Extremely tight squeeze b/t 2 trees towards the beginning - 28" bars barely fit through.
Waaay too tight turns at the bottom of some pretty nicely flowing stuff. I'm guessing thet were put in to choke speed down.....a big ass log would have been better.
The straight up the fall line , absolutely stupid steep spots come to mind as well.
A number of other spots I can't even remember at this point.

Very disappointing considering how great the other trails out there are.....

The world is full of negativity. It is better to just ignore it and keep doing what you are doing.

I suppose freedom of speech and opinion also doesn't apply when it comes to responses about your post.

I am sure robtre will be begging your forgiveness soon.

It is bad that we have to waste our time putting down people who are trying bring more to the sport. My question is before you spew negativity, what have you done for it?
I am going to guess not much if you are putting down the efforts of those who are.

I haven't tried to censor anyone's comments about my post. Fire away - I can defend every word I typed to anyone.

I didn't put ANYONE down.

I voiced an opinion about a trail that - in my opinion - was not built very well. The design really wasted a lot of effort in spots, doesn't flow well through most of it, is WAAAAAY too steep in a number of spots and looks like the person who laid it out either didn't know what they were doing or was trying waaaaay too hard to make a trail that was more technical than the rest out there.

FOR THE RECORD:
THE REST OF THE TRAILS AT LAKE NORMAN ARE EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE BEST TRAIL BUILDING I'VE EVER SEEN. And I've seen a ton in 25+ years of riding.

What have I done for the sport?
Let's see:
-I've help put on a ton of races
-Contributed many 100s of hours to trail building and maintenance.
- Spent hundreds and hundreds of hours teaching and coaching a number of junior racers
-Spent almost as many hours teaching skills clinics for beginners and ladies
-Fix dozens of bikes for free
Is that enough for you?

Why is that we can give honest opinions about bike shops, bikes and equipment but as soon as something is said about trails everyone gets butt hurt?

Toughen up a bit guys.......honest opinions are the only way the art of trail building will grow........

THE REST OF THE TRAILS AT LAKE NORMAN ARE EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE BEST TRAIL BUILDING I'VE EVER SEEN.
Whoever laid them out did a wonderful job of getting the absolute best out of what those pieces of land had to offer........

I do agree with a few things here. There are a couple tight squeezes that my 28" bars barely fit also. There are a few trees that need to be taken out or re-routes built. The back and forth going up is challenging and could argue pointless but when the trail changes direction in odd years 2013 the back and forth is super fun going down. I like the steep climbs personally I ride single speed so its a do or die situation for me. All together Laurel Loop is my favorite of all and certainly the most challenging.

The world is full of negativity. It is better to just ignore it and keep doing what you are doing.

I suppose freedom of speech and opinion also doesn't apply when it comes to responses about your post.

I am sure robtre will be begging your forgiveness soon.

It is bad that we have to waste our time putting down people who are trying bring more to the sport. My question is before you spew negativity, what have you done for it?
I am going to guess not much if you are putting down the efforts of those who are.

Sure there is 30 miles out there but they are the most boring 30 miles on earth. Mombo might be the only fun loop in the whole place. The other guy was right the laurel loop is an abomination in its current direction. You cannot have a bi directional trails system and then build a loop that only rides well in one direction. I drive by LNSP everyday on my way home from work and ride there about 2 times a year. TRBL and those features ....

I ride the LNSP trails quite often,,,as I work in Hickory, N.C., live in Newton, N.C., and get to ride during the week either in Hickory or Troutman. Either just after work on a night ride, or on my day off on Tuesday at either LNSP or a trip to Wilkesboro, Boone, or Wilson's Creek. I've been a land manager at a trail system, and know all-to-well how negative criticism solves nothing and raises hard feelings of the volunteers and people who also donate time, money, supplies, tools, etc for the efforts of having "some trails" to ride in your local area. I think the volunteers are doing a geat job! These people are taking time out of their lives to help build, sustain, and promote mountain biking! Kudos to those who volunteer to help build the trails at LNSP, and those that criticize should come out on the volunteer days to "throw some dirt" instead of throwing opinions. IMHO

Sooooo.....
Like a previous poster inquired, where abouts is the new Wildlife loop in relation to the existing trails? How long is it? A big thanks to all who have contributed to the Lake Norman State Park trail initiative! Can't wait to check it out !

Sooooo.....
Like a previous poster inquired, where abouts is the new Wildlife loop in relation to the existing trails? How long is it?

The newly opened trails total 8 miles. There is not a parking area for these....access is from the Laurel Loop or on pavement via Wildlife Road (just before the park entrance). The Itusi Trail Map shows the locations and mileages for all of the trails.

The newly opened trails total 8 miles. There is not a parking area for these....access is from the Laurel Loop or on pavement via Wildlife Road (just before the park entrance). The Itusi Trail Map shows the locations and mileages for all of the trails.

Great map, thanks for posting the link.

LNSP is a classic stacked loop system which works very good for mtn bikers. Lake Norman was also the test piece for mtn biking in NC state parks. The success and popularity of mtn biking in LNSP has opened the door and will lead to other opportunities. Lake James State Park near Marion has a first 4 mile loop built and 12 more miles on the way in 2013.

The newly opened trails total 8 miles. There is not a parking area for these....access is from the Laurel Loop or on pavement via Wildlife Road (just before the park entrance). The Itusi Trail Map shows the locations and mileages for all of the trails.

WOW! Thanks for the info and the nicely done map. Like Woodman said, Lake Norman State Park is an excellent example of mountain biking and state parks coexisting.
Now I just have to figure out which day to go for my epic lake loop .

Reading this thread has just thrown a flowy, mouth breathing and ground staring wrench into my otherwise perfectly planned weekend....how can I squeeze in 30 miles of singletrack @ LKN SP?

I went to high school in Troutman and used to ride my BMX on the trails back when Itusi was new biz. Then I started MTB'ing in college and now ride every time I go home. LOVE those trails!!

Originally Posted by Woodman

Lake Norman was also the test piece for mtn biking in NC state parks. The success and popularity of mtn biking in LNSP has opened the door and will lead to other opportunities. Lake James State Park near Marion has a first 4 mile loop built and 12 more miles on the way in 2013.

Nice! Hadn't head about Lake James trails. Beaverdam trails (15 miles) at Falls Lake State Park (with neighboring New Light at 10 miles and on NCWRC land) seem to get plenty of action and are pretty well maintained by park staff/volunteers but they seem to be more of the "built as is and will stay as is" philosophy. DavidH probably could elaborate a lot on this issue.

What are future plans for LKNSP? How much trail can they fit out there?

Nice! Hadn't head about Lake James trails. Beaverdam trails (15 miles) at Falls Lake State Park (with neighboring New Light at 10 miles and on NCWRC land) seem to get plenty of action and are pretty well maintained by park staff/volunteers but they seem to be more of the "built as is and will stay as is" philosophy. DavidH probably could elaborate a lot on this issue.

cmscheip, ya since we don't have an MOU with Beaverdam chances are that not much will ever change. The park would have to rely on themselves to apply for grants or do renovation. New Light has an MOU which I think is great. WRC is not interested in new trail, which is basically a fire line making it hard for them to manage the property, so I doubt it will change ever. Having that MOU relationship alone is a good step.

I can't say anything about LNSP since I haven't been there yet. But having a NC state park with trails on it is a huge deal. We have a long ways to go to catch up with the Virginia and W. Virginia State Parks.

Woody can probably elaborate more than I can but there is a difference with state parks like LNSP or Umstead or Raven Rock versus Falls Lake or Lake Jordan...maybe because they are Army Corp of Engineer state land? One is recreational classified (Falls Lake) where LNSP, Umstead or Raven Rock are classified non-recreational?

Forest Ridge will be the next trail system next to Beaverdam, New Light on that same Falls Lake\WRC\Army Corp property. We are all pretty excited about that.

"Woody can probably elaborate more than I can but there is a difference with state parks like LNSP or Umstead or Raven Rock versus Falls Lake or Lake Jordan...maybe because they are Army Corp of Engineer state land? One is recreational classified (Falls Lake) where LNSP, Umstead or Raven Rock are classified non-recreational?

Forest Ridge will be the next trail system next to Beaverdam, New Light on that same Falls Lake\WRC\Army Corp property. We are all pretty excited about that."

I am not sure of different destinations within the NC state parks system other than:
-State Parks
-State Recreation Areas
-State Historical Areas

All state parks have a recreation component and trails, but historically mtn biking has not been part of the recreation allowed. As new parks come on line, master plans can identify mountain bike trails as part of the park. If the park has a long standing master plan that does not include mtn bike trails, it is tough to get biking added.

Forest Ridge is a city of Raleigh project and city and county parks are a good advocacy route for us as they don't have set trail standards (like the USFS does) and thus why we get to be a bit more creative.

All loops at LNSP were laid out by the same person. As far as the flow of the Laurel Loop...it flows just fine. Flow is 50% rider and 50% trail. Maybe gsomtb wasn't have a good ride or not familiar with the trail. To me saying the Laurel Loop lacks any flow is just plain 'tarded. Find your flow and the trail will guide you...